Seriously considering getting out of the hobby

[Belgian1979vette]

All valid answers here.

I know about the vette being my pride and joy, but like said, its getting difficult real fast and soon.

You know, even the wife would have let me get out with € 5000,00 to replace my faulty engine...i didn't do it because i just couldn't bring myself to dropping another € 5000 into the car knowing that in a few years time, my daughter will probably go to university. I estimated that i would have gotten her finished way before that. Not so.
So i'm stuck somewhere between mocking up my old iron, checking out stuff, grinding and matching the heads to the intake and so on.

I made a parts list on summit. No real expensive stuff, just bearings, gaskets,...600 $. Give or take taxes will make this close to € 700,00 when i get them...don't know.
It's bound the get a lot worse if i look on the way the economy is going and the way governments are behaving.

Maybe i'm just getting to old for this.

 

[damoroso]

Things are tough and costs are up everywhere. At least we can do this alittle at a time. Spend and save, that kind of thing. I don't add up what I've got in my car, (my wife does though!) because it's not about the money, it's about the enjoyment I get from accomplishing different things. The engine build and swap, the trans build...modifications and fixes things like that. If we went out to dinner all the time, or took a trip to Europe for instance, we'd have that moment, but then it's gone and only a memory. This way I have something tangable in the garage, and if I need to, I can sell it and get something back. I'm fortunate my wife supports my "addiction" with no problem. Hell, she always knows where I'm at...in the garage!

Maybe you could just take a break for a while and see what happens. Every time I've sold my vette and been without one, I've regretted it in short order, and started looking for another. Like I said...it's an addiction...

 

[Stpman]

I hear ya, I've been 7 years working on my 73 and I hope to have the body back on the chassis this winter and start on the body and paint. I've had times over the years when I was out of work and had no spare $$ to work on it and there was the time I just lost interest in it but couldn't part with it. Now I just want to get it finished so I have something to drive while I restore the 73 RS/Z28 I got when my buddy passed away

 

[AJ77]

I hear ya man! I've got probably 3 times the money invested in my car than I could ever get out of it. Every time something breaks I get frustrated as hell. But then, when I'm at a ralley like last weekend in Arkansas, and I get tons of people coming up to me and saying---man, what a beautiful ride---and asking all kinds of questions about it, seems all worthwhile. I get so much enjoyment from driving it it seems like all my worries from life just fade away when I'm cruising around in it. I would sell my '02 long before the '77.

 

[mike76c3]

I feel your pain

. . . 'cuz I feel that way about my boat :cussing:

Maybe take a little time off, and try to get together with (or start) a small group of enthusiasts ('vette or otherwise) to work together on each other's projects, or just to hang out sometimes and B.S.

Mike

 

[keywestjack]

Ok, I have given your question lots of thought since your original post. I have have three words for you: DONT DO IT. Unless you are in deep financial crap, I think you will regret getting out. Good luck, Jack

 

[1Michel]

Ok, I have given your question lots of thought since your original post. I have have three words for you: DONT DO IT. Unless you are in deep financial crap, I think you will regret getting out. Good luck, Jack

I fully agree with this.

 

[bobs77vet]

sounds like you need to take a break....often times i just clean up the garage really well then just walk away and do something else for awhile.....and then one day i get the itch back again and head back out to it. it cant be forced though.

 

[mrvette]

Ok, I have given your question lots of thought since your original post. I have have three words for you: DONT DO IT. Unless you are in deep financial crap, I think you will regret getting out. Good luck, Jack

Hell or high water down to the guns if necessary, I went through BK about ten years ago, right around the 9/11 attack....and I managed to keep the vette and tools, and the house....

but some crooked business partners managed to die of cancer....two more to go....seriously....

:crutches: